Ever eat a bull?

[ivyhill]

So this year was strange in that we had 6 calves and only one was a bull. We're trying to grow the herd and I am keeping all of the heifers, so I castrated the one, but one beef for next year (ours are done around 18-20 months) isn't enough for all the people we have waiting. I tried to source out some good grass-based bull calves in the spring but couldn't really find any. Now I've found two 5 month bull calves, but I band mine and that's too old for me to castrate them; I don't want to call the vet in. The person I'd be buying them from says they never castrate and they eat younger (18 mos) virgin bulls. I've seent hey're setup and it's true, they only have bulls not steers. They said they've never noticed a difference and neither have their customers. I only know what I've read (dark-cutters, etc), but I've never tried bull meat myself. Anybody ever tried it? It's frustatrating that this is the most enquiries I've ever had and I don't have the product to meet it.
So, anybody ever eat a bull?
Thanks,
Sue

[Olga]

We haven't butchered a bull but here is what my old country vet told me. He said that the only reason why commercial beef producers don't feed out bulls is because they cause more injury and bruising to each other when at feed lot. Otherwise the meet is just as good.

[bmbrown]

Bulls are not usually processed in commercial systems because they possess more connective tissue between the hide and back, making the hide removal process much more difficult. In fact, commercial processing plants will discount producers for bulls brought in (I believe its approximately $6 /cwt currently) because removing the hide on a lot of bulls will damage their equipment.

A bull under 30 months of age is considered a bullock, since he still considered an A maturity animal. Bulls and bullocks will have less marbling, as well as less external fat than steers since they are putting that energy into reproductive development rather than feed efficiency. They also contain more connective tissue, as I mentioned above. For these reasons the bullock meat will most likely be tougher, and less juicy than what you would expect from a steer (though a bullock would be more tender than an aged bull used for breeding) but the taste should be similar.

[ivyhill]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll probably give them a miss then. I wish I could bring myself to cut them and then they wouldn't be too old...

[kansasdexters]

It is very easy to band a bull calf, especially one that is less than a year old. For bulls up to 650 pounds, we use the Wadsworth XL Bander (Item # 35921, $91.95 & free shipping) and heavy duty bands, along with a tetanus toxoid vaccination (for long-term protection) and a tetanus anti-toxin shot (to provide immediate protection). It typically takes about 4 weeks for the testicles/scrotum to dry up and fall off. You can order these items online at www.valleyvet.com .

The Wadsworth XL bander and bands can also be used for dehorning yearlings and older heifers, cows, bulls, and steers. Here is a link to the band dehorning procedure:

www.dextercattle.org/DexterArchive/Articles/banddehorningbyJohnPotter.pdf

We've had excellent results using this banding method for dehorning yearling Dexter steers, bulls, heifers, and older cows.

We have processed two Dexter bulls for beef. One was 26 months old and the other was 4 years old. In both cases, there was considerably less marbling and fat when compared with a similar age steer or cow. Our grass-finished Dexter steers normally attain a quality grade of Choice or Select by the time they are 24 to 28 months old, but the two bulls only attained a quality grade of Standard and Utility (for the older animal) due to the lack of intramuscular fat (marbling). The live weight on the 26-month old Dexter bull was 920 pounds, and his hanging weight was 506 pounds (55% yield on live weight). The retail product yield was 386 pounds (76% yield on carcass weight). The REA (ribeye area) was 9.1 sq. inch, marbling score was PD 80 (practically devoid of marbling), external fat thickness was only 0.08 inch, and the internal carcass fat weighed only 10 pounds total. The 4 year old bull was processed into hamburger and steaks (no roasts) -- the lean hamburger was excellent, but the steaks (except for the filet mignon) were rather tough compared to what we're used to from a Dexter steer. The flavor of the meat from both of these bulls was very good.

Patti

[Clive]

We've only ever beefed one, probably never again.

Our bull had not worked, was well-finished, highly marbled in places like sirloins, but very lacking in marbling in other muscles, he was 27 months old. I had 3 Dexter-eating guests for a meal and we served T-Bone steaks. Three of the four said it was the best Dexter steak they'd ever had. Full of flavour, like comparing wild boar to pork, delicious. You could smell the flavour before you cooked it.

So why never again? Well, when I cooked some rumps, they were the worst steaks I've had in my life. I gave mine to the dog, she was very happy with it. Because we sell meat, we can't afford to have anything like that, because it's all people will remember, so no bulls for us.

Our local abattoir does bull beef though, in large quantities. They won't take a bull in over 16 months of age for the normal food chain.

I fairly certain this was one of the yummy T-Bones:

[midhilldexters]

I took 2 bulls to the butcher last week, they just called with the hanging weights.
No 1 was 516 No 2 was 526 they were 20 months old, TOTALLY grass fed. I am very happy with their size
The pic was taken from a distance, but may help.

Carol

[midhilldexters]

LOL hmmm no pic.
I'll put one on my web site and come back and give the link.
Carol

[cddexter]

well, I'[ve never, never, ever, castrated a male on the place. That's 30 years. Here's some info from a researcher at a govt station in Alberta (Canada's beef province). All animals, us included, go through four overlapping stages: getting organized (baby fat stage), bone growth, muscle development, and laying down fat. This is a general statement. 'ovelap' is the operative word here but basically, each phase follows a standard bell curve, but individual animals will vary on the overlap. This is why keeping records and choosing the right bull, or maternal line, is so important.

I have found that between 12 and about 18 months is the bone growth phase for Dexters, so I slaughter (and feed a bit better) from 24 months to 30.
We all know that if you eat a lot more calories than you utilize, or burn off in exercise, you'll gain fat. Feed lots use this to get marbling early.

My beef is tender, and well marbled, with good cover, even on grass, and I kill bulls. There is a common old wives tale (how come it's never an old man's tale?) that bull meat is not good, and has a distinctive flavor. I've never found this.
I don't know what age you were thinking of killing, but if you can get them to gain to about 14 months, with very little exercise (keep in small pen rather than walking around the range), I'm pretty sure you'll find no problems. Even bulls used for breeding, and older, if kept quiet, and in a confined area, will be just fine. Dark spaces make for more tender beef too (confirmed by visiting lecturer Bonsma at TAM Uni about 50 years ago). c.

[tiffin]

We have our first bull in the freezer. We have had steers and unbred heifers before. So far, not impressed. The bull had been used as a breeder, he was 2.5 years old. There is a definite difference in taste. I can't say bad just different, no "wow" factor. I believe he was processed in a similar manner so can't blame that. My tasting has been hamburg and a sirloin steak. I'm going to try an eye of round but prepare it with garlic, salt and pepper with the hopes of upping or masking the taste.

edit: forgot to add, the liver was the worst I have ever had, however, edible with lots of bacon.

edit: Had an eye of round with the garlic, pepper and tyme, excellent. So maybe there are going to be some cuts good and some not so good.